Haunted

The food was gritty, lumpy and tasted worse than soil, but nonetheless, it was something. As Iris slowly and somewhat reluctantly scooped the food, the man watched her from the corner of his eye as she fickly pecked at the mush it could hardly be called food.

" Isn't it to your liking?" the man asked in the same harsh tone as before, unrelenting. His unwelcoming behaviour wasn't as off-putting as she thought it would be. Hunger took precedence over his rough manners.

Iris swallowed and placed the bowl onto the ground " No, I mean yes. It's just that I haven't eaten in quite some time ", she cleared her throat, trying to buy time and carefully choose her words " I don't want to be ill if I eat too much or too fast. What is your name? My name is Iris." she quickly changed the subject. Scrutiny wasn't precisely what she had expected when she entered the northern lands.

" Corvin!" he curtly replied as he continued packing and shoving things into his sack.

" I'm pleased to make your acquaintance Corvin." Iris refrained from smiling at Corvin while the man didn't reply and continued his task.

" When are you leaving for Ironstone?" Iris asked since the man had stopped talking, and for some reason, the silence troubled her, an unnerving feeling.

" As soon as everyone is ready," he replied in the same brusque tone. He seemed bothered by her presence or maybe something else. Roughness appeared to be a trait that most northerners shared. Iris took a silent breath tr, trying to push away her thoughts.

" I will leave as soon as possible. I don't want to be a burden." Iris grumbled and picked up the bowl of mush, eating another spoonful of the tasteless food.

" You're not a burden. Your arrival is in a time of great sorrow. We've just lost good men and women alike during the attack." Corvin raised his head a looked at the corpses lined up on the ground.

" It is nothing personal. You're welcome to join us, but we won't be ready to go for a day or two. We still have to bury the dead." Corvin sat down and scooped some water out of the bucket. And now she understood why the roughness and harshness in his demeanour and tone came from losing people you've known for so long. Iris's thoughts drifted to Athan, Rhya and Tyla. They were the only ones that survived until Ian had decided to impart his judgement on them, and now there we none. Azra's fate was still in the balance. If the Elden Council had spoken the truth, then it would mean that the source was still weighing him.

" It's alright. I will leave before then. I need to get to Ironstone as quickly as I can!" Iris politely declined his offer as she returned to the present, trying to chase away the past that had decided to haunt her at the worst moment.

" As you wish!" Corvin grumbled, throwing a branch into the fire and staring at being engulfed by the rising flames.

" Corvin!" another man called as he approached them " Who is the new lady?" He asked as he eyed her from head to toe.

" She is headed to Ironstone. She has words with Lord Vamadar." Corvin answered, and the man perched himself on a wooden barrel.

" Alone? Don't you have travel companions?" the man looked at Corvin, but the questions were directed at her.

" No. They are dead." Iris answered as bluntly as she could sense in the man's tone, and words inferred something other than pure curiosity.

The other man finally looked at her, wary " What happened?" he cooked his head quizzically.

Iris shrugged " This and that, and now they are no longer among the living." Iris vaguely replied, not wanting to delve into the past and the painful memories of losing everything and everyone she'd known or loved.

There was too much, and she didn't want to go that rabbit hole again.

The man nodded in understanding " I'm Malachi" he stretched his hand for her to take, but Iris just raised her hand and waved.

" Iris", she mumbled and placed the empty bowl of food on the floor again.

" I'm surprised you ate the terch. Nobody eats it here unless they are on the brink of starving. " Malachi chuckled with his eye on the bowl.

Iris stifled a smile " I wasn't far from it" she buried her face into her hands, rubbing it to chase away the weariness.

" You staying to have a rest, fair lady?" Malachi asked as he jumped off the barrel.

" You're welcome to use one of our tents dearly and before their time departed." he pointed to one of the tents a little further away from where they were.

Iris looked at Corvin, who shrugged, looking impassive, while Malachi seemed amused by something since the smile on his lips stayed.

" Uh, I don't know. I don't want to trouble you. You seem to be rather busy. " Iris was flustered, not knowing what to do. She was tired and desperately needed rest, but she didn't want to impose and take advantage of their hospitality.

" I could keep you warm. North is a cold place, sweet girl, and the clothes that you're wearing are nowhere fit for this weather!" Malachi shamelessly offered himself as a human blanket, and she already knew where this was going.

" I think I'll leave now," Iris said deadpan and picked up her sword off the ground.

Malachi raised his hands in surrender " I was just testing the water . I'm not interested in fighting with you." he took a few steps back and stopped when his back hit the barrel.

Corvin snorted " You're as stupid as you look." he mocked, glancing up at Malachi.

" What is the harm in trying?" Malachi retorted, annoyed at Corvin and his failure to conclude the deal.

" I'm not fighting anyone. I just want to rest, and I'll be on my way." Iris said, exasperated with everything going tits up at every turn.

Corvin stood up " Malachi go finish packing your shit, and you can have my tent. No one will bother you. You look pretty banged up, and I seriously doubt that you're in the mood for a toss in the bed." he sternly barked at both of them. Although the last part was a bit unnecessary, she just nodded and made her way to the tent in front of the fire without sparing another glance at either of the men.

As soon as she entered the dimly lit tent, with an all too familiar set-up. The scarcity of items was just as depressing as the previous one. It seemed that Corvin was sharing his tent with someone else since another mat was on the floor. Iris wanted to ask, but she decided against it since every bone in her body hurt, and she desperately needed to rest. As she lay there staring at the canvas above her head, her thoughts drifted everywhere, Shaddow Valley, Zandar, Lund, Gaelin, Ian, Azra's anointing ceremony, and before she knew it, she had drifted to sleep.